The Sweet Briar
by Fernspirit
Summary: Briarlight never had a mate, but why not? What really happened with her and the tom of her dreams? Why was she crushed again, just like when the tree fell on her? Briarlight is desperately trying to fall in love before all the toms her age find mates. But will she find the one who loves her? I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS-ERIN HUNTER DOES!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I am a new author here and this is my first fanfic EVER! I wrote this a while ago, found it and fixed it up, so here it is!**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 1**

"Briarpaw! Blossompaw! Bumblepaw!" Briarpaw glanced expectantly at her mentor, who was talking with Graystripe, her father. "Finally, we can train together!" Rosepaw gasped to Briarpaw. The dark cream she-cat was practically dancing with excitement.

"It'll be epic!" Toadpaw agreed, glancing at Briarpaw brightly. Briarpaw blushed.

"I think Thornclaw wants me now," she whispered, and the black-and-white tom nodded.

"Okay." He padded off with Rosepaw at his side and Briarpaw raced over to Thornclaw, who was standing at the tunnel entrance. "Let's go, let's go!"

"Okay, okay!" Thornclaw purred. He padded out of the thorn tunnel, with Briarpaw trotting excitedly at his heels.

"What will I learn first? Can we hunt today? Will we see all of the territory? Will we meet the other Clans?"

"Hush, you'll never hear the other Clans at this rate!" Thornclaw scolded.

"Sorry," Briarpaw muttered. She managed to keep her mouth shut until they reached a stream with small stepping stones here and there, dotting the stream. "WindClan's border," Thornclaw announced. A small patrol of three cats was approaching; a small tabby tom, a muscular dark gray tom, and a sleek black she-cat. "Onestar, Crowfeather, and Nightcloud," Thornclaw muttered in her ear.

He stepped up to the brink of the border. "Hello, Onestar," he mewed, dipping his head respectfully. Onestar' eyes were glazed with fury.

"Get away from the border!" He demanded.

"Why? What's it with you?" Briarpaw snapped, before Thornclaw could glare at her. Onestar whirled on Briarpaw. "You ungrateful apprentice!" He rasped.

"Please excuse my apprentice," Thornclaw hissed. "This is her first time out of camp and she is rather energetic."

"See that she is punished!" Onestar snarled, before leaping away. "Crowfeather, Nightcloud, come along," he ordered over his shoulder. "We don't need to bother with these ThunderClan scoundrels." Thornclaw's fur bristled and his claws slid out, but he controlled his temper, and when the WindClan cats were gone, he let out a sigh.

"Well, that could've gone a lot worse." He narrowed his eyes at Briarpaw. "You need to learn to think before you speak. You'll be on elders duty for the rest of the day, but we'll hunt tomorrow. I don't see why I'm practically rewarding you for sassing a Clan leader, but oh well," he muttered. Briarpaw bounded to his side.

"I'm sorry," she assured him eagerly, happy that she could hunt, but unhappy that she had to clean the elders den. "It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't," Thornclaw growled. Briarpaw purred at that, and even Thornclaw lightened up. "You'll make a fine warrior, if only you hold your tongue," he told her, and she bounced into camp lightly with those words in her head.

**I hope you enjoyed that; it was very fun to write! Watch out for chapter two!**

**-Fernspirit**


	2. Chapter 2

**Did you like the first chapter? I myself like to think of it as exciting, that Briarpaw would have enough tongue to talk back to a Clan leader. Here's chapter two!**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 2**

Briarpaw woke with excitement. Rosepaw was snoring slightly on one side of her, and Blossompaw was shifting on the other. She sat up. Toadpaw was gone, but Bumblepaw was sliding into the den. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Where were you?" Briarpaw asked quietly as she started grooming.

"Dawn patrol." Bumblepaw circled a few times in his nest before collapsing. "Mousewhisker said I could get some rest before we see the territory." _Oh, right. _Briarpaw had forgotten that Bumblepaw had spent all of yesterday sorting herbs with Jayfeather.

"I get to hunt today," she bragged. Bumblepaw sat straight up.

"Sweet! You're so lucky! What did you see yesterday?"

"Thornclaw and I met Onestar, Crowfeather, and Nightcloud at the border and Onestar was angry."

"What? Why?" Bumblepaw demanded.

"I don't know, something about 'stay off our land, ThunderClan rascals!' He was pretty grumpy." Briarpaw shrugged. She leaned closer to Bumblepaw. "So, tell me about your day." Bumblepaw brightened.

"Well, despite the fact that I had to spend almost all day sorting herbs, I learned some pretty neat stuff!"

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" Briarpaw challenged. "I learned how to heal greencough, with catmint, by the way, and what to give queens to make their milk come."

"Well, you'll be a great medicine cat!" Briarpaw teased. Bumblepaw slashed at her lightly, claws sheathed, and she ducked, purring. "Hey!"

"Would you two please shut up?" Blossompaw grumbled. "Some cats are trying to sleep." Bumblepaw looked at Briarpaw, and she looked at him, and they burst out laughing.

"Sorry Blossompaw," Briarpaw whispered. "Maybe I'd better go out now," she told Bumblepaw. "Thornclaw might be expecting me."

"Go ahead," Bumblepaw yawned. "I'll think of you, hunting, while I'm sleeping."

"Thanks a lot," Briarpaw muttered. She stepped outside and glanced around, trying to find her mentor. "Hey, Briarpaw, over here," Toadpaw called. She located him, in a huddle with Cloudtail, Thornclaw, and Brambleclaw. "We need to step up patrols on the ShadowClan border, they're getting suspicious," the deputy was saying. "So, Thornclaw, how about you take Briarpaw over there and check it out?"

"I was going to take her hunting, but I suppose this is more important," Thornclaw mewed.

"Good morning, Briarpaw!" Toadpaw chirped. "I might be able to be in your patrol!"

"No, you're going to be cleaning the dens today," Cloudtail told him sternly. "After your little performance yesterday, you need to be punished."

"Sorry," Briarpaw whispered to him. She had heard what had happened. Toadpaw was being assessed and he stumbled into a fox den and got attacked. There was no scent, he claimed, but Cloudtail was furious.

"Thanks," Toadpaw mumbled. He headed over to the elders den, and Briarpaw returned her attention to Brambleclaw.

"Take Poppyfrost and Icecloud with you," Brambleclaw ordered Thornclaw, then turned back to Cloudtail. "I was thinking, since WindClan..."

Briarpaw followed Thornclaw to outside of the warriors den, where he ducked inside and returned a minute later leading Poppyfrost and Icecloud. The two she-cats were chatting quietly as Thornclaw led them into the forest, and Briarpaw dropped to the back of the patrol. "Keep your eyes and ears open," Thornclaw ordered. "After the incident with Toadpaw yesterday, we don't want to take any chances." Poppyfrost murmured agreement and Icecloud mewed,"Shouldn't we be watching out for ShadowClan, not foxes?"

"Quite right," Thornclaw agreed. "But now that we know there's a fox around here, we need to be careful. Got that Briarpaw?" He swung his head around to glare at her, and she muttered, "Yes, Thornclaw."

"Thank you." The golden tom kept his head high and his ears pricked as he walked, and Briarpaw felt a stab of admiration for her mentor. They had hardly made it to a small clearing, when Poppyfrost gasped, "Fox!"

**So, chapter two is over. Did you like it? Any preferences? Would you prefer more cliffhangers, or less?**

**-Fernspirit**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! Here is chapter three! I gave you a cliffhanger last time, and I hope it was exciting enough for you guys to keep reading!**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 3**

The fox darted at Briarpaw, who barely dodged and skidded on a pile of wet leaves. The fox whirled around and advanced on her, its teeth bared. Briarpaw desperately tried to scoot backwards, only to find herself pressed up against a bush. The fox was coming closer and closer. One more step and it would be in snapping range...Briarpaw shut her eyes and waited desperately for it to be over with. Nothing happened. No teeth met her skin. She cracked an eye open and then instantly opened the other. Thornclaw was clawing the fox while Poppyfrost and Icecloud distracted it. "Get up a tree, Briarpaw!" Thornclaw howled. _Are three warriors really no match for a fox?_ Briarpaw wondered, but raced over to the nearest tree.

She hooked her claws into it and pulled herself up. _I'm pretty sure there's a more graceful way to climb,_ Briarpaw thought as her legs dangled down. _But..now is definitely not the time to find out!_ She managed to scramble onto a branch and watched the battle down below. Thornclaw gave the fox a slash on its hindquarters, then Poppyfrost and Icecloud darted in, making the fox weave back and forth, trying to decide which cat to attack. The fox gave a furious yowl and raced away, leaving blood trails everywhere. "Ha!" Icecloud yowled, breathing heavily. "We showed it!"

"We did," Poppyfrost agreed, a little more mature than the white she-cat, who began prancing back and forth. Thornclaw gave a little moan.

"Thornclaw!" Briarpaw yowled. She scrambled down the tree, landing with a thud in the forest floor and running over to Thornclaw. The tom lay on his side. His eyes were rolled back up into his head so only the whites showed. He shifted slightly, revealing a slash on his side. Blood was pooling out, gathering beneath his belly and soaking his golden fur, turning it orange.

"Help me pick him up," Poppyfrost directed Icecloud. Briarpaw knew that Thornclaw had mentored Poppyfrost, so she was surprised at the calm, levelheaded way the warrior was taking things. Icecloud heaved Thornclaw onto Poppyfrost's shoulders with a grunt; the tortoiseshell she-cat stumbled. Icecloud put her shoulder under Poppyfrost's and helped stabilize her.

"Steady, steady," Icecloud murmured. Briarpaw ran ahead and helped direct Poppyfrost over sticks and tree roots. The she-cat managed to keep Thornclaw on her back until they reached the camp entrance; then she collapsed. "I'll run in and get Graystripe and Cloudtail," Icecloud offered, darting into camp. Briarpaw settled next to Poppyfrost and watched Thornclaw for any change in his breathing.

It seemed like forever before Icecloud returned leading Graystripe and Cloudtail. "A fox got him," Icecloud explained breathlessly. "We didn't know he was wounded until after the fox ran off."

"Let's get him into Jayfeather's den," Graystripe mewed. Icecloud pulled Thornclaw off Poppyfrost's back, and he managed a small groan.

"Sorry," Icecloud whispered. "You'll be fixed up soon." Briarpaw anxiously watched Graystripe and Cloudtail carry her mentor into camp. She padded in after them and watched them disappear into Jayfeather's den. Slow moments passed until they returned.

"Jayfeather says he'll be good as new in a few days," Cloudtail reported to Briarpaw. "But you'll probably need a substitute mentor for that time. I'll go speak with Firestar."

"Thank you." Briarpaw was surprised at how steady her voice was. Cloudtail trudged off, and entered Firestar's den. They came out together a moment later, and Firestar yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He beckoned to Briarpaw, who stepped closer as the Clan gathered. "Thornclaw suffered a bad wound from a fox this morning, but he will be fine," Firestar announced. "Jayfeather will have him fixed up in a few days. But Briarpaw cannot go without a mentor for that long. So her new mentor, for the time being, will be Dustpelt."

"Dustpelt! Dustpelt!" the Clan yowled. The brown warrior stepped up to Briarpaw. She touched his nose nervously and realized hat his eyes were friendly.

"I would be surprised if Briarpaw doesn't survive Dustpelt," Squirrelflight commented loudly. "I barely did when he was mentoring me!" A few purrs came at that, and Briarpaw noticed that Dustpelt looked happy too.

"How much, exactly, have you learned?" Dustpelt's mew took Briarpaw by surprise. She looked up at him.

"Oh, um, I've only seen the territory."

"Hmm." Dustpelt seemed to be gathering his thoughts. "Well, you'll need to be attentive and serious while I'm speaking!" he growled as Briarpaw's eyes drifted this way and that. She jumped at how close his voice was to her ear.

"Yes, Dustpelt."

"Thank you. I suppose we'll go hunting now and maybe do some battle training tomorrow."

"Oh, I was going to learn how to hunt today with Thornclaw but then we got attacked by the fox." Dustpelt narrowed his eyes at her, and she winced. _What did I do wrong now?_ she thought in dismay.

"You'll also need to learn to speak only when you absolutely need to speak; this unnecessary chatter all the time is ridiculous!"

"Yes, Dustpelt."

"I suppose we'll go hunt now, then." Dustpelt spoke slowly. "See if you can do _any_ contributing to your Clan." Briarpaw flushed indignantly and was about to retort when Dustpelt raised an eyebrow. _So this is what he means by only speaking when I absolutely need to speak. Well, I get it!_ "Come along," Dustpelt commanded. He swept towards the thorn barrier with a flick of his tail. Briarpaw heaved a sigh and followed him.

**Did you like it? That was much longer than the other two chapters! My beta, Wish Upon a Warrior Cat suggested I try to have 1000 words as a writing goal and I have about 1000 words in the chapter now! I foresee making Briarpaw have trouble with Dustpelt...But we'll see how it goes.**

**Until later!**

**-Fernspirit**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is chapter 4 already! Wow! Thanks to Sunripple, Spottedmist, Queen Rebelle, Wish Upon A Warrior Cat, and Pokesnail for reviewing, and Wish Upon A Warrior Cat for being my beta! Enjoy!**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 4**

Briarpaw stretched and yawned. Dustpelt stuck his head into the apprentices' den. "Come out!" he hissed. "It's already dawn!"

"I'm coming," she mewed. She sleepily padded out of the den; Dustpelt was pacing and shaking his pelt.

"I've decided that we'll do some battle training today," he announced. "You've been hunting for the past three sunrises, and I don't want you left behind."

"Great! Thanks!" Briarpaw cheered. She fell silent when she glanced at Dustpelt and saw his grumpy face. _Oops. I must've been too happy._

"Maybe I'll have you fetch herbs for Jayfeather instead," he muttered.

"Oh, please don't!" Briarpaw pleaded. "I've been waiting for this for ages!"

"Well, maybe not ages," Dustpelt replied hesitantly. "But we'll go." Briarpaw purred and fell into step besides Dustpelt who led her out into the forest, where he broke into a run. Millions of questions were on the tip of Briarpaw's tongue, but she didn't dare ask them; Dustpelt was already very, very grudgingly allowing her to learn battle moves. She leaped over a fallen log. "Show off," Dustpelt muttered.

"Am not!" Briarpaw whispered under her breath; Dustpelt raised an eyebrow, but he stayed silent. Finally, Briarpaw couldn't hold in her questions. As they slid into the sandy clearing, she asked: "What move will I learn first? Can I learn the badger attack? Are there any special moves for fighting foxes? Will we learn lots today?" Dustpelt heaved a sigh, and Briarpaw winced. _Uh oh._

"Will Dustpelt be more of an awesome mentor than he was today?" Dustpelt mimicked Briarpaw. "Oh, I think it would be so nice if he lets me clean out the elders' den and the nursery!" Dustpelt switched to his low growl. "Oh, thanks for asking, Briarpaw. I think that's a great idea."

Briarpaw decided not to protest; she wasn't sure of he would actually go through with that threat. Knowing Dustpelt, though, he probably would. Dustpelt glanced at her and raised an eyebrow again. He padded into the center of the sandy clearing.

"The first thing we're going to learn is how to climb a tree properly; stealthily, without giving yourself away. Like this." Dustpelt reared up on his hind legs and grabbed hold of the tree with his paws; he pulled himself up and repeated that until he was high enough to jump, but low enough so he wouldn't injure himself jumping.

Briarpaw craned her neck to see Dustpelt. He had disappeared. A second later there was a huge crash and he landed next to her, covering her pelt with dust. "Sorry," he mewed. "But that's how you do it. I can actually aim, I just didn't want to jump on you. Go ahead." He nudged her towards the tree. "Try it."

* * *

><p>Tree climbing was much harder than it seemed; Briarpaw had fallen off her branch numerous times and the first time she tried she had slipped down halfway from where she was trying to go. "Again!" Dustpelt called from his perch on a branch as Briarpaw picked herself up yet again.<p>

"Okay, okay," Briarpaw muttered. "I hate tree climbing."

"What was that?" Dustpelt called.

"Nothing!" Briarpaw replied. She heaved a sigh and clambered up to a low branch, where she was able to grab onto a higher branch and pull herself up.

"Good job!" Dustpelt mewed encouragingly as she grew closer to him. "Careful, careful."

"I'm being careful!" Briarpaw growled, then her heart plummeted as her hind leg slipped off the branch. The other one went too and she would've fallen off if not for Dustpelt, who was right there and pulled her up. "What, exactly, does this have to do with battle training?" she asked, perched on her branch.

"We climb trees and drop onto our enemies," Dustpelt explained. "They never see it coming!"

"Ah. So..I'm..being..trained..to..fight...like...a squirrel!" Briarpaw puffed as she fought to haul herself onto the next branch.

"Pretty much." Dustpelt dropped down next to her and gazed at her sympathetically. "But don't worry. All the young warriors now had to go through this; Poppyfrost, Cinderheart, Lionblaze.."

"Really." Briarpaw was unconvinced.

"Really." Dustpelt gave Briarpaw a nudge so hard she almost fell off her branch. "Oops, sorry. Anyway, my point is, you'll get better, and you'll hopefully survive to be a warrior."

"Hopefully?" Briarpaw echoed. "_Hopefully_? Are you joking?" She leaped up higher. "Come on, let's keep climbing!"

"Okay, but be careful," Dustpelt warned. Briarpaw flicked her tail. She clambered onto one branch, then the next. Dustpelt was beside her the whole time, until she pulled away impatiently.

"I'm fine!" Dustpelt nodded and sat back. Briarpaw thought he probably shouldn't be letting her go off on her own, but she was fine with that. She clambered onto a branch, and her heart almost stopped as the branch dipped underneath her paws. "Thank StarClan," she muttered, gaining her balance again. "I thought I was going to fall."

"Careful!" Dustpelt called. "I don't want you getting hurt!"

"Yes, Dustpelt," Briarpaw mewed, rolling her eyes. She was higher than ever as she neared the top of the tree.

"That's far enough, Briarpaw, come down," Dustpelt ordered.

"Oh, Dustpelt! I'm almost to the top! Can't I go all the way?" she pleaded. Dustpelt sighed, and she imagined him rolling his eyes.

"Fine."

"Yay!" Briarpaw scrambled onto the next, the next, and then...Her hind paws slipped. "Dustpelt?" She called, voice cracking.

"What?" He sounded irritable.

"I'm about to fall!"

"I'm coming!" Dustpelt's voice changed instantly. She heard him leaping up and making his way closer slowly, but she couldn't hold on.

In slow motion, her front paws slipped, and she fell.

**Cliffhanger! Haha. Next chapter there will be a few days time skip. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**-Fernspirit**


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope you liked the cliffhanger! Or tree hanger, as Sunripple says :) Thanks to one new reviewer, Minty fresh1013 and the Originals: Spottedmist and Sunripple! Thanks to Wish Upon A Warrior Cat for being my beta and (new category) Ravenwing of ThunderClan and Sunripple for following! Credit is handed out. I do not own Warriors, Erin Hunter does. Enjoy chapter five!**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 5**

Briarpaw woke with a start. She was staring at the roof of Jayfeather's den. _Why am I here?_ she wondered, trying to get up. Then she remembered, and the weight of the pain pushed her back down. _I fell from the tree! I wonder if Dustpelt is all right...and if I'm all right!_ The brambles trembled as Jayfeather appeared. "My patient is awake," he mewed cheerfully. "How are you feeling Briarpaw?"

"Um.." Briarpaw was taken aback. Jayfeather, grumpy, stingy Jayfeather, was being cheerful! "I'm not sure yet," she admitted. "I can't sit up, it hurts when I try to."

"You landed on your legs," Jayfeather murmured. "You're strong though. You'll survive."

"Um...thanks?" Jayfeather gave a small chuckle, then his eyes narrowed.

"You will never, ever, ever go tree climbing again!" he snapped. "Do you understand me?" Briarpaw curled up into a small ball, trying to avoid his glare.

"Yes, Jayfeather," she muttered, astonished at how fast his mood had changed.

"Very good." Jayfeather relaxed a little bit. "Let's try to get you standing up. It'll hurt, but you'll get better faster." Briarpaw gave a nod. She struggled to her knees.

"Even..just..going..halfway...hurts!" she gasped, falling back down.

"Again," Jayfeather encouraged her. "You're doing just fine."

"Not really," Briarpaw growled. She imagined raking her claws over Dustpelt's face. He would pay for letting her fall out of the tree. Any sympathy she might've had for Dustpelt a minute ago was gone as she pushed herself to her paws, legs trembling.

"You did it!" Jayfeather cheered.

"I did it!" Her call was much louder, and Millie came hurrying in.

"What's the matter? Why is she standing up? Won't she get hurt?" the gray she-cat fretted.

"I'm fine, Millie!" Briarpaw mewed happily. "I'm standing up by myself!" Millie's gaze softened, and she let out a purr.

"So you are. So you are. I'm so happy for you! Graystripe will be, too, when he comes back from patrol." Millie gazed at Briarpaw proudly, until Briarpaw began to squirm. Jayfeather noticed, and steered the conversation out of dangerous waters.

"How about you help her go get some prey?" he suggested to Millie.

"That's a good idea." Briarpaw jumped at the new voice. It was Leafpool. "She'll be hungry after sleeping for two sunrises," the tabby she-cat explained. She brushed last Millie and circled Briarpaw, running a paw down her legs to examine Briarpaw. "Your legs look very healthy and strong, even after getting landed on by an apprentice!" Briarpaw was briefly confused, but decided not to push it. Leafpool helped Millie guide Briarpaw out of the medicine cats den, muttering things under her breath.

"Here, have a vole!" Blossompaw chirped, padding over to Briarpaw from where she had been seated next to Rosepaw. "I caught it myself!"

"Thanks!" Briarpaw purred. "Good job!" Blossompaw looked very pleased with herself as she laid the vole at Briarpaw's feet; Leafpool and Millie helped Briarpaw get settled next to Blossompaw, then they went off to hunt alone.

"So, how are you feeling?" Rosepaw asked curiously from her spot next to Blossompaw, staring at Briarpaw's legs.

"The same as normal," Briarpaw muttered, lowering her head and taking a bite of vole to avoid awkwardness. The dark cream she-cat obviously wasn't done, though.

"Why did you fall out of the tree?"

"I just slipped," Briarpaw answered. "Don't you already know all this?" Rosepaw shook her head.

"Squirrelflight thinks that it's nothing that needs to be known by apprentices," she replied, "but if you and Bumblepaw and Blossompaw know, then I think me and Toadpaw ought to know too."

"Briarpaw only knows because it happened to her," Blossompaw pointed out, rescuing Briarpaw, who sat dumbfounded at Rosepaw's flow. "And Bumblepaw and I know because she's our sister."

"Right," Briarpaw added. Rosepaw didn't look convinced, but thankfully, she didn't press it. Briarpaw finished her vole, then Leafpool and Millie helped her back into the medicine cats den to sleep. Jayfeather was nowhere to be seen, and Briarpaw settled into her nest, already almost asleep. Millie and Leafpool brushed out, and it seemed like only a heartbeat later Briarpaw was woken by a 'hey'.

Briarpaw jumped, heart thudding. "Toadpaw!" she hissed at the black-and- white tom. "What are you doing in here?" Toadpaw shrugged matter-of-factly.

"I wanted to see you," he responded promptly. "I wondered how you were."

"Well, I'm doing quite fine," Briarpaw muttered, sitting up, and finding that it came much easier to her than earlier.

"I'm glad to hear that," Toadpaw purred. He reached out his tail to her, the same time she tried to do the same.

"Sorry!" she mewed, embarrassed. She couldn't believe she'd just done that. "Toadpaw, I-" she started, at the same moment he mewed,

"Briarpaw, I-". They both broke off and looked away.

Then Briarpaw gathered up the courage to say, "What were you going to say, Toadpaw?"

"Well, I..." He leaned forward until their noses were almost touching, and Briarpaw caught her breath.

**And as we close the curtain on Briarpaw and Toadpaw, you all are allowed to wonder: What will happen next? Find out in chapter six!**

**-Fernspirit**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh my gosh! I'm on chapter six already! :) Credits.. Wish Upon A Warrior Cat for being my beta, Ravenwing of ThunderClan and Sunripple for following, and Sunripple, Spottedmist, Splinterclaw, and Frostfur04 for reviewing. I do not own Warriors, Erin Hunter does! Enjoy chapter six of the Sweet Briar!**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 6**

Briarpaw gasped at Toadpaw's boldness. He had leaned closer than ever now. "Briarpaw," he murmured. "I like you." _What_? "What?" the black-and-white tom asked himself, eyes widening in shock and embarrassment. "That is not what I meant to say, at all." He tried to laugh it off, but Briarpaw could tell he was mortified. "I should go." He turned and started to leave, but Briarpaw called him back.

"Don't go, Toadpaw. Don't you think we should...talk?"

"I suppose," he mumbled. "It slipped out. It wasn't supposed to. I'm really sorry," he finished, glancing at his paws.

"Were you going to tell someone else?" Briarpaw guessed. "Blossompaw, for instance?" Toadpaw reddened and glanced at his paws.

"Yes," he muttered. "I was trying to pretend that you were Blossompaw...I don't think she likes me very much, you know." _Ugh, I suck at this, _Briarpaw thought, inwardly regretting not listening to Blossompaw when she had given Briarpaw a 'Love Life 101' session when they were kits. Briarpaw made a mental note to force Blossompaw to teach her again.

"I think, uh, she might actually like you," Briarpaw ventured awkwardly, hoping he wouldn't look up and see her rapidly reddening face.

"Really?" Toadpaw asked excitedly. "Do you think maybe you could tell her I'm alive?"

"Oh, she knows you're alive," Briarpaw assured him, purring. "She talks about you all the time!" Toadpaw brightened.

"Does she really?"

"Yep!" Briarpaw confirmed, wincing inwardly. She apologized to Blossompaw inside her head for possibly sticking the wide-eyed Toadpaw on her. "Just don't, you know, go too overboard on her, okay? Take it nice and easy." Toadpaw nodded, drinking in every word. For a moment he was frozen, then he stood up and darted out of the den.

"Thanks, Briarpaw!"

"You're welcome! What have I done?" she muttered to herself. "Blossompaw will kill me! She thinks Toadpaw is the most annoying cat and is so full of himself!" For a minute she totally freaked, pacing back and forth with a limp in Jayfeather's den. "Ugh she's going to be pissed! StarClan, what will I do?!" The brambles rattled and Jayfeather slid in.

"What's up, Briarpaw?" he asked.

"Um, nothing," she muttered, curling back up in her nest. "Just...trying to stretch my legs."

"Okay." Jayfeather poked his head into his herb store, and laid a small bundle of thyme and tansy in front of her. "A cough's been going around," he explained, "and I don't want you catching it."

"Thanks." Briarpaw felt guilty as she lapped up the herbs. Here she was, getting spoiled and treated like a little kit while her siblings were off learning how to protect ThunderClan. _I wish I could keep training! _she thought desperately as Jayfeather left. _I wish..._ Suddenly, she had an awesome idea. Thankfully, the cat she wanted to talk to was passing the medicine cat den, and she hissed her name. "Blossompaw!"

"Huh?" The tortoiseshell she-cat paused and glanced at Briarpaw. "What do you want?"

"Come here!" Blossompaw rolled her eyes but joined Briarpaw in Jayfeather's den.

"What do you want?" Blossompaw repeated.

"I'm stuck in Jayfeather's den doing nothing while you and Bumblepaw are off training. I want you to teach me everything you've learned!" Briarpaw glanced up at Blossompaw hopefully. "Will you PLEASE teach me?" she begged. Blossompaw glanced at Briarpaw and began pacing around her, muttering.

"Strong legs...nice muscles, little sister. Hmm, strong tail...yes, I will take you on!" Blossompaw declared.

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YO-"

"That's quite enough," Blossompaw decided, and Briarpaw shut up.

"We start tomorrow night!" Blossompaw announced. "Meet me in the training hollow when everyone is asleep!"

**And that concludes chapter six. Who liked the Briarpaw and Toadpaw moment? Bit awkward, huh? Would you like to see more, or less of that? Thank you for reading!**

**-Fernspirit**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here is chapter 7! Wow! Already! Thank you to Shiverdream of WindClan, Sunripple, and Spottedmist for reviewing! Thanks to Wish Upon A Warrior Cat for being my beta, and Ravenwing of ThunderClan and Sunripple for following! Before I start the next chapter, I have a forum called SunnyClan! The link is on my profile, if any of you would like to join. I would appreciate it so much! Anyway, here is chapter 7.**

**-Fernspirit**

**Chapter 7**

Briarpaw's night training was going well with Blossompaw, and fortunately, her leg was healing. The day came, about half a moon later, when Jayfeather entered the den and mewed, "Briarpaw, you've been out of training for a long time, but I think your leg is fine! You can return to training!"

"Yay! Thank's Jayfeather!" Briarpaw danced out of Jayfeather's den, full of energy. "Watch out, I'm back in training!" she yowled. The Clans' newest members, Dovekit and Ivykit, poked their heads out of the nursery. The three-day old kits were obviously envious.

"I can't wait to be apprenticed!" Ivykit complained. Briarpaw shoved her way into the apprentices den. "Bumblepaw? Rosepaw? Toadpaw?" No one was in there. _They must all be out doing battle moves, _Briarpaw thought unhappily. _I heard Blossompaw bragging about it to Dovekit yesterday. _She dragged her paws on her way out of the den; she perked up, however, when Thornclaw called her.

"Briarpaw! What are you doing out of Jayfeather's den?"

"He said my leg was healed!" Briarpaw mewed brightly. "Is your own wound better?" More than a moon after the fox fight, Thornclaw's gash had stiffened him up, so Jayfeather confined him to his den.

"Much," Thornclaw replied. "What do you say we go practice with Blossompaw, Bumblepaw, Rosepaw, and Toadpaw?"

"Awesome!" Briarpaw practically pranced out of camp with Thornclaw, excited to show him how much she had improved. She didn't, however, forsee the tiny bit of trouble that would come when Thornclaw asked how she knew all these moves without him showing them to her.

"Umm..." Briarpaw glanced sideways at Blossompaw, to see if she would help. No such luck. Her sister's eyes read: _You got yourself into this; you get yourself out of it! _

"Briarpaw," Thornclaw reminded her sternly. "I'm waiting."

"Yes..um..well.." Toadpaw rescued her.

"We've been practicing moves together, and I, uh, taught her some more," he lied. "That's how she got such advanced moves."

"Ah." Thornclaw glanced from apprentice to apprentice, and Briarpaw knew that he didn't believe them, but he let it go. "Now! Let's try the badger attack..."

* * *

><p>"Ugh Briarpaw!" Blossompaw stormed into the apprentices' den, where Toadpaw and Briarpaw were sitting. "You are so stupid! You just had to go and show Thornclaw the moves I taught you! I'm on dawn patrol for a moon!"<p>

"Uh..I'm just gonna go out," Toadpaw muttered, sliding out, but Blossompaw took no notice of him.

"You complete idiot! Moron!" Briarpaw's fury welled up.

"Oh yeah, and when did you say I couldn't show them to him, huh? Don't you think he'd be impressed, that you took it up to help me while I was stuck in Jayfeather's den?"

"You just shouldn't have shown them to him at all!"

"And then, pray tell Blossompaw, what would've been the point of you teaching me those moves?" Briarpaw snapped. Blossompaw recoiled, ducking her head.

"Um."

"Exactly. Next time, don't accuse me of doing something that _you _did too!" Briarpaw stalked out of the den, leaving a very confused Blossompaw behind. She fumed by herself, sitting off by a corner of the nursery when Toadpaw approached her.

"Hey..."

"Hi."

"I couldn't help overhearing the..fight that you and Blossompaw had, and I'm sorry," he went on.

"Sorry for what?" Briarpaw muttered. "You didn't do anything!"

"Well, I made Thornclaw think it was me who taught you the moves, so both Blossompaw and I got in trouble."

"You didn't make Thornclaw think it was you who taught me the moves," Briarpaw pointed out. "You guys got in trouble because Thornclaw _didn't _believe you."

"Oh. Right." Toadpaw stared at his feet. "Well...I guess I'll go." He got up and headed away, but Briarpaw called him back.

"Toadpaw! Do you want to talk?"

"Talk about what?"

"Um..anything!" Briarpaw felt slightly awkward asking to talk to a tom, but he didn't look bashful at all.

"Sure!" He returned, and sat down back next to her. "So..what do you want to talk about?"

"I'm curious," Briarpaw mewed. "Do you actually like Blossompaw? Or were you just getting scared about telling me you liked me?"

"Um. I guess I maybe don't like Blossompaw."

"And you guess you maybe like me?" Briarpaw purred, and Toadpaw ducked his head.

"Yes."

"I like you too," Briarpaw assured him, and Toadpaw brightened up slightly at that.

"Cool! Rosepaw knows I like you, but if she knows we have like..a _thing_... she'll totally tease me. So let's just keep it between us, shall we?"

"Yes." Briarpaw brushed him gently, then got up. "I'll see you later."

"Later," he purred.

* * *

><p>Briarpaw stepped quietly into the apprentices' den. Blossompaw was curled in her nest, staring at the wall at the back of the den.<p>

"Blossompaw?" Briarpaw asked softly. The tortoiseshell she-cat gave a grunt, barely audible. "I'm sorry. About today. I know it wasn't your fault that Thornclaw put you on a moon of dawn patrols. It was mine." Blossompaw twisted in her nest.

"Yeah, right. It was mine fully. Don't try to take any of the blame, because I was the one who let you talk me into teaching you advanced battle moves." Briarpaw gave a little shrug, knowing that her sister was back, and purred.

"It was all my fault, Blossompaw. And don't you dare say otherwise." Blossompaw gave Briarpaw a sneaky grin.

"Then we're okay?" Briarpaw checked.

"We're great!" Blossompaw purred. Briarpaw stepped in and curled around Blossompaw. As she fell asleep, she could hear her sister's heart thumping in her chest, and Blossompaw's familiar scent.

**So that may have been an un-exciting chapter, but oh well. How long would you guys like to see this story? Would you want a sequel, if I can think up a plot? What minor Warriors character would you like to see a story about?**

**I hope you liked the chapter, and please review! It means the world to me! :)**

**-Fernspirit**


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